


Heart to Heart

by ragewerthers



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F3S, Fluff, Hugs, M/M, They need hugs, Whump, mentions of Clarus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-18 10:14:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21509398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragewerthers/pseuds/ragewerthers
Summary: After overhearing a fight between Gladio and Iris, Prompto attempts to make things right and reassure Gladio when the pain of his losses finally becomes too much.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Iris Amicitia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	Heart to Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bgn846](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/gifts).



> This is another fic for my good friend bgn846 for our F3S!
> 
> She asked for: "Gladio gets in a fight with his sister and gets really upset about it. Prompto finds out and helps them patch things up. if they (Prompto and Gladio) happen to hug a lot then ya know that’s sooo ccool. :)''
> 
> I really hope that I was able to hit the mark with this, my friend and that you get to enjoy a lovely dosing of whump and fluff!!!
> 
> You can also find me on tumblr at: ragewerthers.tumblr
> 
> Enjoy! :D

“I don’t understand why you won’t let me come with you!”

“Because it’s dangerous out there! I’m not just going to let you run off and get yourself killed!”

Prompto blinked his eyes open blearily, looking around their small room at Cape Caem. Only last night had they made their way to the small house, the place almost like a mini oasis with all the mayhem they’d had to deal with over the last few weeks. The cool colors of the room mixed with the light breeze carrying the scent of the ocean into the room should’ve been enough to keep him feeling at peace and content… however…

The slowly raising voices echoing from outside were making it difficult to find any sort of peace and an uneasiness was starting to settle in Prompto’s gut. It sounded like Gladio and Iris, but he couldn’t be sure, at least not from here. Sitting up he glanced over to find Noct was the only one still in the room with him and the Prince was out like a light. And judging from the timbre of the voice coming from the open window it wasn’t Iggy getting into an argument this early in the morning.

He could hear the argument picking up again and slowly scooted his way out of the bed he had shared with Gladio the night before. It was one of the few chances they’d had in awhile to just cuddle and rest without worry. With Gladio’s duties taking precedence far more now with the fall of Insomnia, they had let their relationship take a backseat. That didn’t mean they still didn’t steal little kisses or soft touches, but listening to the argument right now made him worry for his boyfriend. Something he hadn’t been expecting as they got here and were allowed a moment of rest.

Tiptoeing toward the open window he peeked his head up just high enough to see over the sill, eyes scanning to find the two arguers. It wasn’t long before he found whom he was looking for. The two Amicitias’ were standing under a tree near the back of the house. Prompto could just make out Gladio’s broad back and could tell he had his arms crossed in that ‘ _ I’m a big bad shield and you aren’t going to sway me _ ’ way he would.

That being said, while he couldn’t see the Shields face he could see Iris’s just over Gladio’s shoulder and she looked  _ mad. _ It was almost as terrifying as Gladio’s angry face and that was saying something. It was one of those times that you could really see the family resemblance between them.

However, his thoughts were soon interrupted as the argument picked up once more.

“You go rushing into danger all the time! What does it matter if I want to do the same?!” Iris shot back, stomping her foot.

Gladio seemed absolutely unperturbed and kept his stance.

“I don’t go rushing in, Iris. I’ve been trained for this my entire life and I know you learned a few things from Dad, but…,”

That seemed to be the exact  _ wrong  _ thing to say as Iris seemed to turn three shades redder in anger.

Oh yeah… you could definitely see the family resemblance there.

“I learned a lot from Dad!” she shouted and Prompto could see the moment it clicked with Gladio that he’d said the wrong thing. The Shields shoulders lowered from their guarded position and he unfolded his arms, one of his hands going up to scratch the back of his neck. Prompto knew this body language as well. It was the ‘ _ I fucked up and need to back track _ ’ move.

“Iris… look… I know Dad taught you a lot. It’s just… this is different, okay? This isn’t practice. This isn’t like our spars at home. Dad wouldn’t want yo-..,”

“Stop it, Gladio! Don’t you dare tell me what you think Dad would want for me!” Iris shouted, cutting off her brother. “You don’t get to put words in his mouth! You don’t get to make choices for me and then say that it’s something  _ he  _ would’ve wanted!”

“I’m just trying to protect you!” Gladio shouted back, Prompto wincing away from his hiding spot and knowing that he really, really, really shouldn’t be watching this, but he was too invested now. “You know that it’s what Dad would’ve wanted!”

“I don’t know because he’s not here to ask! Only you are and it… i-it’s not fa-fair! It’s not  _ fair! _ ” she stammered, the anger in her eyes giving way to the hurt she still felt so deeply. There was a momentary pause then… Prompto peeking back up to see the way Iris’s head had bowed, trying to hide her emotions as Gladio’s hand reached out, but seemed unable to move closer.

“Iris… listen I...,” Gladio’s voice was much quieter now and Prompto could tell the man was regretting his earlier words, but the younger Amicitia wasn’t having it. Iris’s eyes turned back to her brother and the anger she harnessed only seemed to flare up once more.

“No! How can you be so… so  _ horrible?! _ Saying what Dad would’ve wanted and talking about him only to make your own argument! How can you be so… so  _ heartless?!” _ Without waiting for a response Iris turned and ran from her brother, leaving the Shield stood there under the tree, the words seeming to have frozen him in time.

Not good. This was… just… not good. Prompto could see Gladio’s arm lowering back to his side, see the way his hands were clenching into fists and starting to shake. The argument had gone too far on both sides and some damage control needed to happen like… yesterday. He  _ knew _ he needed to get down there.

Stepping away from the window he scanned the room for his boots, quickly grabbing them before heading out of the room and tugging them on as he went down the stairs.

It was a wonder he didn’t topple over and go tumbling down the stairs in his mad dash and he had just reached the back door when he heard it. A loud, guttural snarl followed by the sound of something smashing nearby.

“Gladio?!” Prompto called out, quickly opening the door and wondering if some daemon had managed to get past all of their defenses and caught the man off guard. What he found was far more unsettling.

The Shield was breathing hard and leaning against the side of the house, an old crate smashed beside him. Gladio’s face was hidden in his trembling hands as he seemed to be trying to calm down, but Prompto could still see the tension coursing through every fiber of his darling’s large frame.

Seeing the man so on edge tore at the poor gunners heart and he knew he had to do something to remedy this. Clearing his throat to alert the Shield that he was there, he felt his heart break just a little more as Gladio startled and quickly looked away from his direction, running a hand over his face as if trying to hide whatever he was feeling.

“Mornin’,” Gladio greeted after a moment, his voice sounding a little gruffer than normal.

“Morning,” Prompto greeted back, though he found he couldn’t quite put his usual pep into his words. Part of him wanted to play along with Gladio and act like nothing had happened, but… in doing so… nothing would be remedied. So… after taking a deep breath he decided to dive in.

“So uh… listen… please don’t be mad, but… I… sort of… overheard you and Iris out here,” he said quietly, moving closer so he could stand beside Gladio. He could see the tension only growing in the man, the way his jaw worked itself as if he was fighting to keep himself in check. “Do… do you wanna talk about it?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Gladio dismissed instantly, making the gunner quirk an eyebrow at him as he lightly nudged a piece of wood from the broken crate with his foot.

“Really? Then why did this box have to suffer?” Prompto asked simply, ducking his head a little to try and catch Gladio’s eye. The Shield finally looked at his partner properly.

Prompto offered the man a small smile and little wave as he was finally caught his attention. “I’m right here if you wanna talk, you know. Maybe I can help?”

“I know, Prom… I just… I don’t think you can help with this…,” Gladio said quietly, his voice smaller than Prompto had ever heard it. “Not unless you can reverse time or bring back the de-...,” Gladio’s voice cut off as he spoke, his eyes closing tightly as he shook his head. “Fuck… I’m sorry I…”

Prompto wasted no time now, stepping around the broken pieces of the crate to wrap his arms around his boyfriend neck and bringing him down into a hug. He may have been smaller than his mountain of a boyfriend, but in this moment he wanted nothing more than to shield the man from the pain so clearly etched into his heart.

It wasn’t long before he felt Gladio’s arms around his waist, the man burying his face into the crook of his shoulder. He could feel the way Gladio's breaths came out stuttered, feel the way his fingers held onto his vest like a lifeline. All he could do in this moment was to be here for the man and try to allow him the safety he needed to finally break.

“I wish he was here, Prom. I wish I could ask him what I'm supposed to do now. What I can do to keep Iris safe? I miss him so much, Prompto… gods do I miss him,” Gladio whispered against his neck, his voice strained as he hugged the gunner closer, Prompto gently soothing his hand against his upper back in little circles.

“I know you do, Gladio…. I know,” he whispered gently, turning his head to press a little kiss against the Shields temple to offer whatever comfort he could. “I also know what’s going on in your head. I know you too well now. You have to know that you’re not horrible… and you’re not heartless for trying to think of what your Dad would want. I think you’re right, in a way. That Clarus wouldn’t want Iris going out there… but… just because he wouldn’t want it… doesn’t mean he wouldn’t allow her to make her own choices, you know?”

“How long were you listening, Prom?” Gladio’s muffled voice asked after a moment, making the blond smile a little sheepishly.

“Awhile. The Amicitia's have voices that can carry,” he offered, getting a small huff from Gladio, though it felt like progress.

He pushed at the mans shoulders a little, making him stand straight once more and trying not to let his own heart shatter to see the redness surrounding his eyes.

“I just… I can’t lose her too, Prompto. I can’t,” Gladio whispered, ducking his head slightly. “Maybe it was heartless of me to use Dad as an excuse, but… it would break me if anything happened to her and I couldn’t be there to protect her.”

“Nope. Nuh unh… we aren’t playing this game,” Prompto said more firmly now, moving his hand to lay over Gladio’s chest, right above his heart. “You have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen, Gladio. You are  _ not _ heartless. You just want to keep your sister safe and that is like… the least heartless thing I can think of!”

Gladio looked back up to Prompto as he spoke, his amber eyes still holding a depth of sadness that Prompto didn’t think he’d ever fully understand, but hoped to somehow make easier for his partner to bear. His expression softened a little and he reached back up to hug the man close once more, feeling some tension starting to leave his partners body.

“Your heart is loving, caring, big and strong. It cares so much that it means it can also hurt more than its fair share,” he whispered. “I know Iris didn’t mean what she said. I  _ know  _ it. And I know that you two need to talk… key word is ‘talk’ here. We’ve all been through a lot… and you and her have been through more than most. I don’t want this fight to come between you two and be something you regret later on. I didn’t know him very well, but… I think your Dad wouldn’t want you two to fall out over something like this. I… I think now… more than ever he’d want you two to find strength with each other.”

Prompto hoped he hadn’t overstepped a boundary as he spoke, but a small sigh and a little squeeze around his middle made him think he’d chosen just the right thing to say.

“I still don’t like the idea of her going out there,” Gladio whispered, leaning back slightly, but keeping his arms around Prompto’s waist.

“I know you don’t, but… Iris is smart and brave… and bullheaded… like someone else I know,” he teased gently, bringing his hand up to gently card through Gladio’s hair. ”She’s going to make her own decision whether you like it or not. Maybe… instead of fighting her on this… you can try and figure out a way to help her or make it easier?”

Gladio leaned into the light touch to his hair, though he narrowed his eyes slightly at the idea.

“Hear me out, big guy. What if you and Iris asked Cor to help? He trained you just as much as your Dad did, right? If anyone can make sure that Iris goes out into the world safe and secure, it would be Cor,” Prompto offered, waiting to see if maybe this might help to alleviate some of the tensions between the two siblings.

After a moment of thought, Gladio gave a little sigh and nodded. “It’s… not the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” he admitted begrudgingly, though a little smile made its way onto his face, something Prompto considered a massive step in the right direction.

“That’s me! Master of things that are not the worst,” he joked a little, leaning up to press a small kiss to the man’s cheek. “Now… I think the best thing for you to do is go and find Iris and talk to her. You guys will make this right.”

Gladio smiled a little more at the kiss, ducking down to press one against Prompto’s brow in return.

“Thanks, Sunshine. For everything,” he murmured gently, making Prompto’s chest feel warmed through and through.

“Of course, big guy… that’s what I’m here for. Giving you ideas that are not the worst and making sure you make good life choices,” he joked a little, earning himself a light pinch to his waist that made him flail and squeak before he wriggled himself free. “What was that for?!”

“That was for eavesdropping,” Gladio chided gently, making Prompto flush up once more before finding another soft kiss pressed to his cheek. “But that’s for helping me. I’ll see you inside in a little bit. I'm gonna go find Iris and apologize. Have a little heart to heart and see what we can do to work this out. Okay, Prom?”

With his cheeks now scarlet from the sweet gesture, Prompto could only nod, earning him a chuckle from the Shield before the man went off to try and smooth things over with Iris.

Prompto really did hope that the two siblings would come to an understanding and deep down he knew that they would. The bond they had was far too strong for a few harsh words to come between them. They both were still hurting and reeling over their losses, but… Prompto knew somehow they would both come out stronger for it in the end.


End file.
